A known vapor phase growth apparatus for performing a vapor phase growth of a silicon epitaxial layer on a main surface of a silicon wafer, has the following structure: a silicon wafer is conveyed into a reaction chamber and mounted on a susceptor within the reaction chamber, and, in that state, the silicon wafer is heated by an upper lamp provided on the upper side of the susceptor and a lower lamp provided in the lower side of the susceptor. Simultaneously, raw material gas is fed onto the main surface of the silicon wafer to cause the vapor phase growth, and after the vapor phase growth, a silicon epitaxial wafer obtained by the vapor phase growth is moved out of the reaction chamber.
Here, there are various methods of mounting a silicon wafer on a susceptor or removing the same from the susceptor. As one of these methods, the following method is known: at least three lift pins that can be ejected upward from the upper surface of a susceptor are ejected to approximately the same extent as each other, and a silicon wafer is carried onto the ejected lift pins to be supported by the lift pins approximately horizontally. Thereafter, by descending the lift pins simultaneously, the silicon wafer is mounted on the susceptor. After the vapor phase growth, the mounted silicon epitaxial wafer is ascended by ejecting movements of the lift pins and then carried out of a reaction chamber by a conveying device (hereinafter, this method is referred to as a “lift pin method”). (For example, see Patent Document 1.)
In the susceptor of the lift pin method, holes for inserting the lift pins through them (hereinafter, referred to as “lift pin insertion holes”) are formed so that they are passing through both sides of the susceptor, and the lift pins are inserted through the lift pin insertion holes.
In order to perform the vapor phase growth of a silicon epitaxial layer on a main surface of a silicon wafer using such a vapor phase growth apparatus, first of all, a silicon wafer is conveyed into a reaction chamber and mounted on a susceptor, and thereafter, a hydrogen treatment is performed by heating the inside of the reaction chamber up to hydrogen heat treatment temperature. Thus, a natural oxide on the surface of the silicon wafer is etched and removed by hydrogen.
Next, the inside of the reaction chamber is set at a growth temperature, and silicon raw material gas is fed onto the main surface of the silicon wafer. Thus, the vapor phase growth of a silicon epitaxial layer is performed on the main surface of the silicon wafer, and a silicon epitaxial wafer is thus produced.
Moreover, there is known a susceptor having a plurality of through holes at positions where a silicon wafer is mounted, in order to remove a natural oxide on the rear surface of a silicon wafer during vapor phase growth (for example, see Patent Document 2).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Tokukai-Hei 6-318630    Patent Document 2: United States Patent No. 6444027